Switch-lock



UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. HALBLEIB, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NORTH EAST ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCH-LOGK.

Application filed May 17,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. HALBLEIB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means for locking-'an electric switch against unauthorized operation.

In automobiles provided with electrical apparatus, such as lights, ignition-apparatus, and engine-starting apparatus, it is common to employ lock-mechanism, controlled either by a key or by a secret combination, for securing against unauthorized operation the switchor switches by which the electric apparatus is controlled. Where all of the switches which it is desired to lock are located close together, or in one assembly, or Where a single switch is employed for controlling all of the electrical devices, the application of such lock-mechanism is simple, and the switch or switches controlled thereby are locked and released by a single manual operation. In some cases, however, the switches to be locked are not juxtaposed, this being particularly the case where one of these switches is employed for controlling the ignition-apparatus while another of the switches is employed 'for controlling an electric starting-motor. In such a case the starting-switch, being designed for handling a heavy current, is often mounted upon, or beneath, the floor of the vehicle and operated as a foot-switch, while the ignition-switch is usually mounted upon the dash or the instrument-board of the vehicle, and used as a hand-switch.

One object of the present invention is to produce an arrangement in which a plurality of switches, remote from each other, may be locked and unlocked by one manual operation, and by the use of a single mechanical lock -mechanism. To this end it is proposed to associate such lock-mechanism directly with one of the two switches in question, and to provide the other switch with a normally operative detent which is controlled by electro-magnetic means, the electro-magnetic means being controlled, in

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

1917. Serial No. 169,267.

turn, by the first electric switch, through su table connections, so that the detent is tripped or thrown out of operative position when the first switch, having been unlocked, is moved-from its normal or locked position.

The arrangement just described is adapted for use in various connections, but particularly for use in connection with the ignition-controlling switch and the startingswitch of an automobile, and where so used the locking-mechanism is associated directly with the ignition-switch, so as to be in convenient position for manual operation, while the electrically-controlled detent is associated with the starting-switch.

lVhile, in the normal operation of the apparatus, no distinct manual operation is necessary to unlock the starting-switch, or other switch mediately controlled by the lock, it may in some cases be necessary to unlock or release this switch independently of the electrical connections between the switches, owing to failure in the operation of such connections. A further object of the invention is to provide for such abnormal operation, and to this end a feature of the invention resides in the provision, in con nection with the mediately controlled switch, of lock-mechanism which is not normally used, but which will act, when operated by a suitable key or combination, to trip the detent and release the switch controlled thereby, independentlyof the operation of the magnetic detent-actuating means.

IVhere the switch immediately controlled by the lock-mechanism is an ignition-switch, and the mediately controlled switch is a starting-switch, it may be desirable, in some cases, to permitthe operation of the latter without having the ignition-switch energize the electric ignition-apparatus. For example, it is sometimes desirable to actuate the engine, through the agency of the start ing-motor, without starting the motor into its normal operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for the mode of operation just described, and to this end it is proposed to arrange the contact-devices in the ignitionswitch, or other switch immediately controlled by the lock-mechanism, in such a manner that this switch has three positions, in one of which both of the circuits controlled thereby are open, in another of which both of the circuits are closed, and in the third of which the detent-controlling circuit is closed while the other circuit is open.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic representation of the present invention, as applied to the ignition-switch and the starting-switch of an automobile.

In the drawing the starting-switch 4 is shown, diagrammatically, as a foot-switch of the plunger type, arranged to control the circuit connecting an electric starting-motor 5 and the battery 6 by which the motor is energized, this switch being normally held raised by a spring.

The ignition-switch 7 has a pivoted manually-operable member carrying two movable contacts 8 and. 9, which cooperate with stationary contacts 10 and 11. This switch has three positions, designated by the reference-numbers 1, 2 and 3. The switch is shown, in full lines, in the first position, in which neither of the movable contacts is in engagement with the stationary contacts. When the ignition-switch is in either of the positions 2 or 3 current flows, from the battery, through the wire 12 to the movable switch-member, and thence, through the movable contacts 8 or 9, to the fixed contacts. From the contact 10 the current flows through the conventionally-represented ignition-apparatus 13 and back, through a wire 14, to the battery.

In order to prevent the ignition-circuit from being closed by any unauthorized person when the automobile is not in use, lockmechanism 15 is associated with the ignition-switch, this mechanism being shown conventionally as comprising a bolt which engages a notch in the movable switch-member, when the latter is in position 1. lock-mechanism may be of any ordinary or 1sluitable form, and may be'controlled by a Associated with the starting-switch 4 is a detent 17, which is shown as provided with a spring tending to throw the detent into, and hold it in, engagement with a notch in the plunger of the starting-switch. thereby preventing the latter from being depressed into circuit-closing position. For the purpose of tripping the detent an electro-magnet 18 is associated therewith, the detent being shown conventionally as constituting the armature of said magnet. When the movable contact 9 of the ignition-switch is in engagement with the stationary contact 11 current from the battery, flowing through the wire 12 and the ignition switch, passes through the contacts 9 and 11 and through a wire 19, energizes the magnet 18, and returns, through the wire 14, to the battery. The detentl7 is thereby swung to the right, so as to release the starting-switch.

In the "first or locked position of the ignition switchthe detent 17 is in its normal operatlve position as shown, so that the start- The I V ing-switch also is locked. When the igni- ""tion' swit-ch is released from the operation of the lock-mechanism 15, however, it may be moved to its second position, in which the contact 9 engages the contact 11, and the contact 8 engages the contact 10. The starting-switch is now unlocked and may be depressed, thereby causing the motor 5 to start the engine, the ignition-apparatus 13 being also in operative connection with the battery through the contacts 8 and 10. In case it be desired to cause the motor 5 to actuate the engine without starting the latter into normal operation, the ignitionswitch is moved quickly from its first position to its third posit-ion. In this third position the contact 9, owing to its elongated form, remains still in engagement with the contact 11, but the contact 8 is moved past and out of engagement with the contact 10, as shown in dotted lines in the drawing. Accordingly, the detent 17 is tripped and the starting-switch may be depressed, but no current flows to the ignition-apparatus.

To provide against possible failure of the electric connections to trip the detent 17, a second lock-mechanism is associated with the detent 17. This mechanism is shown conventionally as having a bolt which is provided with a lug arranged to cooperate with the upper extremity of the detent. Normally the lock-mechanism 20 is not used, and it interferes in no way with the normal movements of the detent. \Vhen it becomes necessary, however, to trip the detent manually the key 16 may be used to actuate the lock-mechanism 20, thereby causing the bolt to swing the detent to the right, and thus trip it.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment thereof hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it may be embodies in various other forms within the nature of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

1. In starting and ignition apparatus for an internal-combustion engine, a startingswitch for controlling an electric startingmotor; a detent normally cooperative with said switch to retain it against operative movement; an electromagnet for tripping the detent; an ignition-switch, for controlling the electric ignition-apparatus of the engine, located at a point remote from the starting-switch; connections, between said electromagnet and the ignition-switch, for energizing the magnet when the ignitionswitch is in closed-circuit position with respect'to'the ignition-apparatus; and a mechanical lock for retaining the ignitionswitch in open-circuit position with respect to both the magnet and the ignition-apparatus.

2. The combination of an electric switch; a normally operative detent cooperating therewith, electromagnetic means for tri ping said detent; a second switch; electrlc connections, between the second switch and said electromagnetic means, for controlling the latter; a mechanical lock for retaining the second switch in open-circuit position with respect to said connection; and lockmechanism operative to trip the detent independently of the electromagnetic means.

3. In starting and ignition apparatus for an internal-combustion engine, a startingswitch for controlling an electric startingmotor; -a detent normally cooperative with said switch to retain it against operative movement; an electromagnet for tripping the detent; an ignition-switch having contacts for controlling the ignitiomapparatus of the engine and for controlling sald electromagnet; and connections between the ignition-switch and the electromagnet;. the contacts of the ignition-switch being arranged for three positions of the switch, in one of which both of the circuits controlled by the switch are open, in another of which both circuits are closed, and in the third of which the ignition-circuit is open and the magnet-circuit is closed.

EDWARD A. HALBLEIB. 

